Blind fasteners and associated methods for installing blind fasteners

Abstract

A blind fastener includes a sleeve having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion and defining a bore. The blind fastener also includes a core bolt at least partially received in the bore of the sleeve, the core bolt defining a core bolt axis and including a body having a distal end portion and proximal end portion axially opposed from the distal end portion, wherein the body is tapered from the distal end portion of the body to the proximal end portion of the body such that the core bolt causes radial expansion of the sleeve when the body is urged relative to the sleeve through the bore along the core bolt axis.

1 . A blind fastener comprising:
 a sleeve comprising a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, and defining a bore; and   a core bolt at least partially received in the bore of the sleeve, the core bolt defining a core bolt axis and comprising a body having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion axially opposed from the distal end portion, wherein the body is tapered from the distal end portion of the body to the proximal end portion of the body such that the core bolt causes radial expansion of the sleeve when the body is urged relative to the sleeve through the bore along the core bolt axis.   
     
     
         2 . The blind fastener of  claim 1 , wherein the taper from the distal end portion of the body to the proximal end portion of the body is a continuous taper. 
     
     
         3 . The blind fastener of  claim 2 , wherein the continuous taper has a taper angle ranging from about 1 degree to about 20 degrees. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The blind fastener of  claim 1 , wherein the body is a truncated conical body. 
     
     
         6 . The blind fastener of  claim 5 , wherein a diameter of the truncated conical body proximate the distal end portion of the body is greater than the diameter of the truncated conical body proximate the proximal end portion. 
     
     
         7 . The blind fastener of  claim 1 , wherein the body of the core bolt comprises a flanged portion at the proximal end portion. 
     
     
         8 . The blind fastener of  claim 1 , further comprising a stem connected to the proximal end portion of the body. 
     
     
         9 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The blind fastener of  claim 8 , further comprising a neck abutting the proximal end portion positioned between the body and the stem. 
     
     
         12 . The blind fastener of  claim 1 , wherein the core bolt comprises a second metallic material and the sleeve comprises a first metallic material, and wherein the first metallic material is substantially different from the second metallic material. 
     
     
         13 . The blind fastener of  claim 12 , wherein the first metallic material is at least 5% softer than the second metallic material. 
     
     
         14 . The blind fastener of  claim 12 , wherein the core bolt comprises titanium. 
     
     
         15 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The blind fastener of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve defines a sleeve axis. 
     
     
         18 . The blind fastener of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve comprises a flanged portion at the distal end portion. 
     
     
         19 . The blind fastener of  claim 1 , wherein the bore is tapered from the distal end portion to the proximal end portion. 
     
     
         20 . The blind fastener of  claim 19 , wherein the taper is continuous. 
     
     
         21 . The blind fastener of  claim 20 , wherein the taper has a sleeve taper angle ranging from about 1 degree to about 20 degrees. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The blind fastener of  claim 20 , wherein the taper has a sleeve taper angle that is substantially the same as a taper angle of the core bolt. 
     
     
         24 . The blind fastener of  claim 1 , further comprising a cap. 
     
     
         25 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A blind fastener comprising:
 a sleeve comprising a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, and defining a bore, the bore being tapered from the distal end portion to the proximal end portion, the sleeve comprising a first metallic material; and   a core bolt at least partially received in the bore of the sleeve, the core bolt comprising a second metallic material and defining a core bolt axis, wherein the first metallic material is substantially softer than the second metallic material, the core bolt comprising:
 a body having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion axially opposed from the distal end portion, wherein the body is tapered from the distal end portion of the body to the proximal end portion of the body; and 
 a stem connected to the proximal end portion of the body. 
   
     
     
         28 . A method for installing a blind fastener into a bore in a structure, the blind fastener comprising a sleeve and a core bolt at least partially received within the sleeve, the core bolt defining a core bolt axis, the method comprising:
 inserting the blind fastener into the bore; and   pulling the core bolt relative to the sleeve to cause radial expansion of the sleeve.   
     
     
         29 - 34 . (canceled)